Sex and Drugs

People have used drugs to enhance their sex lives throughout human history. We are not here to judge your drug and alcohol use. Our priority is to help you reduce the potential harm (for you and others) from your substance use. If you’re worried that drugs or alcohol are having a negative impact on your health, the people around you, or other areas of your life, we can offer you support in an LGBTQ-affirming space.

Below we explore some of the drugs and substances that are commonly used by LGBTQ+ people to enhance their sex life – this is sometimes called ‘chemsex’, chill outs, or HnH play. We try to offer a balanced view of why people use them, some of the risks associated with using each drug, and action you can take to reduce the harms to yourself (or others).

Crystal Meth

Crystal meth (or Tina as it is known) is used by some people for sex. It is a powerful stimulant which keeps you awake for a very long time and makes you feel very horny and hyper focused. Tina comes in the shape of ice-like crystals or as a powder. It is usually smoked through a pipe, snorted, eaten or injected. The effects can last from a few hours to two days.

The main reason why Tina is so popular with people, particularly gay men, for sex is the fact that it makes you feel reallyhorny. Crystal meth can significantly reduce your inhibitions. In the moment, this can feel great, as it allows you not to worry or feel shame about the sex you’re having. Unfortunately, that lack of inhibition can also lead you to have unsafe sex.

Tina withdrawal symptoms can include short-lived psychosis, insomnia, irritable moods and depression.

Many people mix Tina with alcohol and other drugs with few side effects, but you need to be aware that the more stimulants you take the more pressure you are putting on your heart. Some people report experiencing panic attacks, excessive sweating and becoming overly obsessive

Crystal meth is highly addictive, but many people who become addicted do not get ‘hooked’ straightaway. Many people use tina on and off for a long time before they notice that they are using it more addictively.

If you choose to inject tina make sure you get clean needles and equipment, like foil if you are smoking, and learn how to use these correctly. Using clean needles and equipment is important to protect yourself from HIV and hep C. All UK drug services are happy to provide clean equipment as well as advice and guidance. Some pharmacies will also provide this service.

Mephedrone

Mephedrone (aka meow meow, m-cat) is a speed-like drug that comes in the form of whitish powder and is usually mixed with non-alcoholic drinks, snorted, or smoked. Some people also inject it (‘slamming’).

Mephedrone makes you feel excited, energetic and quite bubbly. But it is a strong chemical drug. Apart from making you gurn uncontrollably (so you look like you are about to chew your face off), twitch and sweat, mephedrone is a vascular constrictor that narrows the veins and makes your heart pump faster. Many users experience a bad comedown after the high, reporting feeling depressed, tired and anxious.

Like most drugs, mixing other substances with mephedrone is not advisable. Mephedrone dehydrates the body and drinking alcohol while high on it can further increase the likelihood of dehydration. It also adds extra strain to your heart and brain.

GHB and GBL

GHB/GBL, sometimes known by names like G, Liquid Ecstasy or “Date Rape Drug” is a clear liquid drug that you drink. In its purest form, G is a white powder however it’s very rarely sold as this at street level. It gives you a similar feeling to alcohol as it works on the same part of the brain. The high lasts for about two hours, makes you feel confident and attractive, and (unlike alcohol) it doesn’t give you a typical hangover. G is great for dancing and for sex as it is one of the few drugs that allows you to get a hard-on. Because of the many ‘benefits’ users get from G it’s easy to get addicted to it.

Like many other drugs, G increases the desire for sex and reduces inhibitions. You are a lot more likely to put yourself at risk of HIV and other STIs by having unprotected sex. It is very easy to overdose on G and become unconsciousness leaving you vulnerable to sexual assault, which earnt it the common name of the date rape drug. Some people use G to take the edge off crystal, which decreases your inhibitions even further, so that you are much more likely to take risks. Getting the dosage right is difficult because the strength of G varies with each bottle. GBL is also typically 2-3 times stronger than GHB, therefore it is easy to take more than your body can handle and it could result in overdose, coma, respiratory collapse and even death.

It’s very difficult to measure the correct dose of G. If you are planning to take G, make sure you take small doses and leave at least two hours between each dose, otherwise you could overdose or fall into a coma. A light dose of G for inexperienced users is commonly between 0.3-0.9ml. G is sometimes measured by users with a soy sauce dropper bottle, usually in the shape of a fish. It is much harder to measure a dose using this as the size of the bottles vary. You should try to always use a clearly marked syringe to measure a dose as accurately as possible. Again, these can be picked up for free from your local Drug & Alcohol service.

You should never drink alcohol, or take other depressant or anaesthetic drugs like Ketamine, when taking G. Doing this while under the influence of GHB can slow down the central nervous system and affect your respiratory system and greatly increase your risk of overdose. If you or anyone else begins to feel unwell, you should call an ambulance as soon as possible.

Ketamine

Ketamine is a strong anaesthetic used during surgery on humans and animals. It is also used as a recreational drug. When taking ketamine, you can feel as though your body and mind have been separated and you are having an out-of-body experience (sometimes referred to as a “K-hole”). K is usually taken in small doses, like in a bump off a key.

Excessive Ketamine use can lead to bladder problems that will sometimes require surgical intervention, and is becoming more common in the UK.

Although it can give you a trippy feeling, K is a tranquiliser that numbs your body. This means that you can seriously injure yourself without realising it until much later. It’s sometimes used for fisting because it’s an anaesthetic and makes your brain dissociate with the pain which you would be feeling if you were to get fisted soberly.

Never mix K with G or alcohol as all of these are suppressants and highly dangerous to the respiratory system.

Poppers

Poppers usually come in a small bottle and take the form of clear liquid that smells like industrial glue and are often marketed as room aromas or leather cleaners. Poppers come in many variations of the drug, most commonly Isopropyl Nitrate, Amyl Nitrate and Pentyl Nitrate. Amyl Nitrate is banned in the UK, it is illegal to sell or supply it, but it is not illegal to possess and can commonly be found online. Inhaling the liquid’s vapour causes users to get a high from feeling a sudden rush of blood to the head.

Poppers can give you an incredible head rush and intensify the passion with which you have sex. It’s known to relax your arse muscles and make it easier to get fucked. Some people also find it enhances feeling in their cock. If you are going to sniff them, make sure you leave regular intervals so that you give your body time to rest. A common side effect of use can be blue lips, and sometimes excessive use can make you pass out. Don’t put the bottle too close to your nose because the liquid and fumes can burn your skin. If you get the liquid on your skin, wash it off with warm water.

You should avoid using poppers and Viagra at the same time. Viagra directs blood flow to your cock, whilst poppers direct blood flow to your head. This puts extra strain on your heart and can be dangerous.

Viagra

Many men use Viagra, Cialis or other erectile dysfunction medication to keep a stronger erection for longer. It’s often referred to as “the little blue pill”. You can also find herbal medications that enhance erections, although these are not as strong. Viagra can be prescribed by your GP, purchased from high street pharmacies or bought online.

It is tempting to mix high doses of these meds with those chems that can cause you to lose an erection. Be careful doing this, as it can place extra strain on your heart.

If you’ve recently had a heart attack or stroke, or have conditions such as haemophilia, sickle cell, low blood pressure or angina, you should always check with your GP before taking any erectile dysfunction medication.

Support and advice

If you are concerned about your drug use, or just have questions and want some advice, Trade has a range of services that can help. We offer a weekly drop-in session on Thursday afternoons for LGBTQ+ people who want harm reduction advice and support around any aspect of their drug and alcohol consumption. This is a non-judgemental space and the focus is on helping you stay safe. Twice a month there is also a sexual health doctor available during these Thursday TnT sessions. If you are using chems in a sexual context, this is a chance to make sure you are looking after your sexual health as well as using drugs safely.

Useful links

We work closely with Turning Point, who provide drug and alcohol support services in Leicestershire. They have a specialist LGBTQ+ support worker:
Support we offer | Drugs and alcohol

The Love Tank and Queer Health have provided a useful guide to safer chillouts:
Safer chillouts — QueerHealth

Controlling Chemsex is a specialist service for people who are struggling with chemsex:
Free professional chemsex support in/outside London

Release provides an a-z of drugs, including street names and how to take them:
https://www.release.org.uk/drugs-law/drugs-a-to-z/